Making medical decisions for yourself or a loved one can be tough, especially in a serious illness or emergency. Advance care planning – setting up a healthcare proxy and advance directives – can make all the difference in having your wishes respected.
Seawind Health Advocacy Group, based in Ocean County, New Jersey, helps individuals and families through these processes. Our board certified patient advocate Stevie is here to help you take control of your healthcare decisions with confidence.
What are Advance Directives?
Advance directives are legal documents that state your preferences for medical treatment and end of life care if you can’t talk. These documents include your wishes for life sustaining treatment, pain management and other aspects of care.
The two most common types of advance directives are a living will and a healthcare proxy. A living will says what medical treatment you want or don’t want if you are incapacitated. A healthcare proxy appoints someone you trust to make healthcare decisions for you when you can’t.
Advance directives can also include a durable power of attorney for healthcare which authorizes someone to make medical decisions for you in certain situations. Each of these documents ensures your wishes are respected and provides clarity for family members and healthcare providers in crisis.
Why Advance Care Planning Matters
Most Americans delay or ignore advance care planning. According to healthaffairs.org, among 795,909 people in 150 studies analyzed, 36.7 percent had completed an advance directive, including 29.3 percent with living wills. Without these plans in place families will face uncertainty and emotional stress trying to guess a loved one’s wishes. Advance care planning protects your autonomy, reduces conflict and provides clear guidance to healthcare providers.
Imagine being in a situation where a sudden illness or injury leaves you unable to talk. Without advance directives medical teams and family members will struggle to make decisions and the decisions made may not reflect your values or wishes. Advance care planning ensures your voice is heard even when you can’t speak for yourself.
How to Choose a Patient Advocate
Choosing the right person to be your patient advocate is one of the most important parts of advance care planning.
When you work with Stevie as your independent patient advocate she will make sure to clearly understand your values and priorities around medical treatment and end of life care.
She helps with referrals, reviewing important considerations for informed medical decisions and assists in communicating with healthcare providers.
What is a Living Will?
A living will focuses on your preferences for specific medical treatments such as resuscitation, mechanical ventilation and artificial nutrition or hydration. This document helps your healthcare providers understand your wishes and provides clear instructions for your healthcare agent. For example if you want to avoid certain life sustaining treatments in situations where recovery is unlikely a living will allows you to state those wishes.
Stevie at Seawind Health Advocacy Group can help you clarify your values and translate them into a living will that reflects your goals. This also involves open communication with your loved ones so everyone understands your choices.
Share Your Wishes
One of the best ways to ensure your healthcare directives are followed is to share your wishes. This means talking to family members, your New Jersey patient advocate and your healthcare providers. By having these conversations early you can avoid confusion and give peace of mind to your loved ones.
When you talk about your wishes focus on clarity and specificity. Explain your views on medical treatments and end of life care and share any specific concerns you have about certain interventions. Also review your advance directives periodically especially after major life changes to make sure they are up to date.
Healthcare Providers
Healthcare providers are key to implementing your advance directives. By sharing your documents with your primary doctor and other relevant providers you ensure your healthcare team knows your wishes. Providers can also help clarify medical terms and explain how your choices fit with standard of care.
Providers are legally obligated to follow your advance directives. If there are questions or concerns your New Jersey patient advocate will work with the providers to resolve them and advocate for you.
You don’t have to do Advance care planning alone
Stevie, our board certified patient advocate, will support you to understand and complete the documents. With Stevie’s guidance you can:
- Clarify your healthcare wishes and goals.
- Prepare a full living will and healthcare proxy.
Stevie’s approach is compassionate and professional so your advance directives reflect your values and give you and your loved ones peace of mind.
Important Considerations
- Do I need a lawyer to complete advance directives? In most cases no you don’t need a lawyer. State specific requirements vary so consulting a professional or an advocate like Stevie will ensure your documents meet legal standards.
- Can I change my advance directives? Yes you can update your advance directives at any time. Review them periodically to make sure they still reflect your wishes especially after major life changes.
- What if I don’t have advance directives? Without advance directives decisions will be made by your next of kin which could lead to conflict or choices that don’t align with your wishes. Advance care planning avoids these problems.
Making Sure You Are Ready
Planning for your future medical care is a vital step in protecting your well-being. By creating advance directives, appointing a health care proxy, and communicating your wishes, you ensure that your voice is heard and your values are respected.
At Seawind Health Advocacy Group, we’re here to help. Reach out to schedule a consultation with Stevie and take the first step toward peace of mind for yourself and your loved ones.
Call us at 732-245-0210 or contact us to learn how we can support you’re values and wishes.
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